China's enterprise sales revenue registered steady growth in the first four months of the year, with multiple bright spots emerging across various sectors, according to the latest invoice data released by the State Taxation Administration.

"The invoice data reflect that the foundation of China's economic recovery and upward trajectory is continuously consolidating, while growth momentum is strengthening," said Huang Lixin, director of the Tax Science and Research Institute under the administration. "It shows that high-quality development is moving toward new and optimal levels, powerfully demonstrating the resilience and vitality of China's economic development."

During the January-April period, industrial sales revenue increased by 6.6 percent year-on-year. Specifically, sales revenue in the manufacturing and mining sectors grew by 6.9 percent and 6.4 percent, respectively, maintaining a relatively fast growth trend.

Equipment manufacturing continued to play its role as an economic ballast, with sales revenue rising 7.6 percent year-on-year. Notably, the manufacturing of computer and communication equipment, electrical machinery and equipment, and instrumentation saw sales revenues surge by 14.7 percent, 10.3 percent and 9.1 percent, respectively.

Industries representing new growth drivers also expanded rapidly. Sales revenue in high-tech industries jumped 15.3 percent year-on-year. High-tech manufacturing saw a 14.9 percent increase, accounting for 18.1 percent of the total manufacturing sales revenue, up 1.3 percentage points from the same period last year.

The vitality of digital industrialization was continuously unleashed, with sales revenue of core industries in the digital economy growing by 9.4 percent year-on-year. Within this sector, the manufacturing of digital products and the application of digital technologies experienced growth of 12.9 percent and 12.3 percent, respectively.

Fu Linghui, chief economist of the National Bureau of Statistics, noted that from January to April, China effectively implemented more proactive and effective macroeconomic policies. Efforts were focused on stabilizing employment, enterprises, markets and expectations, allowing the national economy to maintain a trend of steady progress.

The driving effect of artificial intelligence became increasingly prominent. Sales revenue of specialty electronic material manufacturing and integrated circuit manufacturing, which are directly related to AI production and application, skyrocketed by 70 percent and 54.4 percent year-on-year, respectively. Meanwhile, sales revenue of smart in-vehicle devices and robots, linked to AI terminal applications, surged 50.7 percent and 27.5 percent, respectively.

Looking ahead to the economic trajectory in the next stage, Wang Guanhua, a spokesperson for the NBS, said that while acknowledging the internal and external pressures and challenges in economic operations, it is even more important to recognize that the internal driving forces for steady economic improvement remain unchanged and will not change. There is a solid foundation and favorable conditions to promote steady and positive economic development, Wang added.

Furthermore, consumer potential continued to be unleashed. Driven by policies such as the trade-in program for consumer goods and lottery invoices, retail sales revenue of communication equipment grew by 17.4 percent year-on-year. The services consumption market remained robust, with sales revenue from leisure and sightseeing activities; travel agencies and related services; and the cultural, sports and entertainment sectors increasing by 32 percent, 14.6 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Additionally, sales revenue from catering delivery services and homestay services rose by 7.7 percent and 14.1 percent, respectively.

renqi@chinadaily.com.cn